Who Watches The Watchers (episode)
The Enterprise must undo the damage when a group of primitives observe a Federation observation team and conclude that the Starfleet officers are gods. Summary Memorable Quotes "Sir, if we increase speed to warp 7 we can be there in 23 minutes." "Make it so." (Reactor on Mintaka III explodes) "We've lost contact, sir." "''Increase to Warp 9." : - Data, Picard, and Worf "Nuria, your people live in huts. Was it always so?" "No. We have found remnants of tools in caves. Our ancestors must have lived there." "So why do you now live in huts?" "Huts are better. Caves are dark and wet." "So if huts are better, why did you once live in caves?" "The most reasonable explanation would be that at one time we did not know how to make huts." "Just as at one time you did not know how to weave cloth, how to make a bow..." "That would be reasonable." "Someone invented a hut. Someone invented a bow, who taught others, who taught their children, who built a stronger hut, who built a better bow, who taught their children. Now, Nuria, suppose one of your cave-dwelling ancestors could see you as you are today. What would she think?" "I don't know." "Well, put yourself in her place. You see, she cannot kill a Hornbuck at a great distance. You can, you have a power she lacks." "Only because I have a bow." "She has never seen a bow. It doesn't yet exist in her world. To you, it's a simple tool. To her, it's magic." "I suppose she might think so." "And how would she react to you?" "I think she would fear me." "Just as you fear me." "I do not fear you any longer." "Good. That's good. You see, my people once lived in caves, too and we learned to build huts... and, in time, to build ships like this one." "Perhaps one day my people will travel above the skies..." "''Of that, I have absolutely no doubt." : - Picard and Nuria, aboard the Enterprise Background Information *Wil Wheaton (Wesley Crusher) does not appear in this episode. *James Greene later appears in the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode "The Reckoning" as Ranjen Koral. * Ray Wise later appears in the Star Trek: Voyager episode "Hope and Fear" as Arturis. * Vasquez Rocks, a familiar location in Star Trek: The Original Series is used again here. *Ray Wise is best known for his portrayal of Leland Palmer in the TV series "Twin Peaks". In this episode, one of the Federation scientists is named Palmer. This is purely coincidental as "Twin Peaks" first aired after this episode. Interestingly enough, one of the early victims in the show happens to share the last name "Pulaski". *This episode marks the final reference to Dr. Pulaski on the show. She is henceforth never mentioned again on TNG. She gets a brief mention in the closing episode of Star Trek: Voyager, "Endgame" where she receives a page from Starfleet Medical. *"Who Watches the Watchers?" is a quotation from a satire by the Roman poet Juvenal of ancient Earth. In its original Latin, the quote is, "quis custodiet ipsos custodes"... "Who is set to protect those who are themselves protectors?". Who Watches The Watchers is the colloquial and unambiguous translation of the same passage. Links and References Main Cast *Patrick Stewart as Jean-Luc Picard *Jonathan Frakes as William Riker *Brent Spiner as Data *LeVar Burton as Geordi La Forge *Michael Dorn as Worf *Gates McFadden as Beverly Crusher *Marina Sirtis as Deanna Troi Guest Stars * Kathryn Leigh Scott as Nuria * Ray Wise as Liko * James Greene as Barron * Pamela Segall as Oji * John McLiam as Fento Co-Stars * James McIntire as Hali * Lois Hall as Mary Warren * Tim Trella as Palmer (uncredited) * Michael Braveheart as Martinez (uncredited) References anthropology; Bronze Age; duck blind; hornbuck; Hoy; Karst topography; Martinez; Mintaka III; Mintakans; Mintakan tapestry; norep; observation team; Overseer; Paki; Prime Directive; Proto-Vulcan humanoid; Pulaski, Katherine; Quago; sundial; thallium; tricordrazine; watt; Yari Category:TNG episodes de:Der Gott der Mintakaner es:Who Watches the Watchers? nl:Who Watches the Watchers?